1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to information transfer systems and, particularly, to systems for transferring information in response to a verbal or otherwise audible request.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Success in direct telephone marketing depends on the speed with which the salesperson executes telephone calls. Generally, the more calls the salesperson is able to make in a given period, the more sales transactions are concluded. Also, the shorter the period of time spent in making the average sales call, the more calls the salesperson can make during the period. Thus, shortening the amount of time per sales call results in more sales being made per day.
Several devices have been developed to speed up sales calls. These include, for example, computerized speed dialers. Speed dialers automatically select and dial telephone numbers for the salesperson, thereby freeing the salesperson to devote time that would otherwise be spent dialing to actually making sales calls.
Individuals and businesses often must orally repeat basic information such as names, addresses, or phone and/or facsimile numbers every time they place telephone orders or otherwise conduct or transact certain types of business. For example, assume A calls B to place an order from a catalogue. B will usually request A's name, address, and possibly a credit card number and expiration date. In some instances, A's billing address may differ from the shipping address thereby requiring double the time and effort to execute the transaction. Later, when A calls B or C to place a different order, the same information must be given to complete the transaction.
Additionally, if B is an agent or distributor, another call must be placed from B to C to place the same order that caller A already entered to B. Hence the possibility of error is increased and additional time is lost due to the information transfers for both B and C.
There are several systems that transmit identification (hereinafter "I.D.") information about the user of a telephone to the other party to a conversation. For example, "Caller I.D." performs the function of identifying who is calling before answering the phone. Initially, Caller I.D. technology only transmitted the number of the caller, perhaps for security purposes, to recognize prank callers or to avoid answering calls from unwanted solicitors. Today, however, Caller I.D. Deluxe is available which indicates the caller's name and number before the phone is answered and multiple callers I.D. information (name and number) can be stored for later retrieval. Additionally, Caller I.D. service--by comparing to a table of stored numbers--can block calls from specified numbers and can play a recording for certain callers such as "This number is not accepting calls from your number." Caller I.D. requires the purchase or lease of an external device and a subscription from the local phone service provider, although some telephones now incorporate Caller I.D. display and storage capabilities, thus eliminating the need for an additional device. Caller I.D. information is programmed by the phone company on their own equipment. Caller A may precede a phone number with a sequence to display "private" or "unknown" on B's Caller I.D. display.
Another technology that relays caller information to the number called is facsimile transmission. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) requires all transmittals of facsimile information to include within the header of the page the caller's I.D.--name and/or number--in order to leave no question as to where the fax originated. In other words, as part of the facsimile protocol, and after electronically establishing the link between both facsimile machines, the sender's fax transmits the "user I.D." to the receiver where the receiving facsimile machine displays and prints in the header of each page the sender's I.D., including name, company and/or phone number. Although the sender's I.D. must be entered by the user initially, it is technologically possible to connect and transmit a fax without this information.
Similarly, many personal computers and electronic information devices, such as personal organizers and personal digital assistants, or palmtop PC's and Network Computers, include telecommunications capabilities such as a modem, or fax and voice phone capabilities. Similar to the discussion relating to fax machines above, the connection must be made and FCC regulations apply to any device utilizing telephone system lines or cellular phone towers. In all cases, modems, facsimile machines and most electronic devices that communicate must initiate communications across the phone lines such that they are communicating at the same speed with the same language or protocol. Once sending and receiving devices are "communicating," data transfer and verification can proceed until completed. Once data transfer is completed, the connection is terminated systematically and the event is logged at both ends for later verification by either or both parties if desired. If the event is incomplete or "unsuccessful," it is so logged. In most cases, the electronic devices will automatically call and attempt the connection again with no or minimal interaction by one or both parties.
In all the above referenced technologies, the caller's I.D. information is involuntarily transmitted unless special or illegal steps are taken to prevent such transfer. Furthermore, Caller I.D. information is programmed at the telephone company's "switch" and the caller cannot customize or utilize the information any further to his or her benefit.
Electronic or digital transfer of information via facsimile, personal computer, etc. is a proven reliable method of information and data transfer. However, verbal telephone communication is far from perfect. Thus, verbal information transfer over the telephone has the disadvantages of being inefficient and being prone to error.
No device exists that electronically transmits personal information in response to a automatic or verbal query. Furthermore, no device exists that allows accurate and fast transmission of personal information upon a command from a user.